Pathoanatomic Studies in a Case of Tolosa-Hunt Syndrome

Abstract

In an earlier study patients with symptoms of orbital venous vasculitis-that is, cases of characteristic orbital pain and pathologic orbital phlebograms-were found to have increased signs of cerebral atrophy compared with age-matched controls. One such patient with nine incidents of Tolosa-Hunt syndrome and advanced cerebral atrophy is reported, and his medical history and pathoanatomic studies are reported in detail. The cause of the atrophy was multiple small infarctions, which are suggested to be due to vasculitis. Other findings in this case support the hypothesis that the Tolosa-Hunt syndrome may be only one manifestation of a generalized vasculitis.